Page 8 of Room Twenty-Four: Under Their Hands

“I want that woman. Ineedher,” Marco says. “Get her to Club Sin. Tomorrow.”

“You got it, boss,” I say, bustling over to try and get a second with her pretty friend. She’s my in.

I want the gorgeous blond as well. My heart is pounding and my dick is rock-hard in my pants.

The goddess in front of me seems like she’s just what my friend is looking for. But it feels like more than that.

This feels like destiny.

CHAPTER5

Violetta

Igroan and get up the next morning, pushing the covers up and over my head. Slipping out of the bed, I stare around at my winter wonderland of a room.

Another hard day at work. Friday is most people’s end of the work week but not for me. I’ve still got to go in and make sure that everything is running smoothly.

I slip into the shower and let my rain shower head pour down on my tired, sore muscles. I lean against the cool light gray subway tile and just relax for a minute. Just let myself breathe.

But after a few minutes I stand up and wash off, rinsing off and then climbing out of my open shower.

It only takes me about fifteen minutes to dry my hair, throw it up in a clip and put on clothes and a smidge of makeup. A last spritz of my favorite floral perfume and I slip into my beige pumps and exit my top-floor apartment, taking the elevator down to the ground floor.

My car is waiting outside and I nod at my driver, Jessica, when she holds the door open for me. She smiles and after shutting the door, we get on the way.

After she stops along the sidewalk, I step out and make my way up to the office. Alexia is already there. My heart sinks when I see that Jeremy is standing by one of the seats with a smug look on his face.

“What are you doing here, Jeremy? We’ve got nothing to say to each other.”

“I’ve been checking in with the board and I thought I would stop and say hi. I’ve missed you.”

Snorting, I try to avoid the tightening in my chest. “You don’t miss me, Jeremy. I’m not sure why you’re really here but how about skipping the niceties and just get to the point. I’m not interested in trading pleasantries with you. I’ve got work that needs to be taken care of.”

I struggle to keep a neutral look on my face.

“Well, I know you’ve been having issues with stress lately. I wanted to see what the board is thinking.”

“And you thought that that would help with my stress? Popping along here and rubbing your concerns in my face while you babble about spending time with the board talking about stuff that you know nothing about?” I stand up straight and eye him up and down like he’s a piece of dirt on my shoe. “You know, I didn’t figure out at first what a dick you are but I’m glad that you broke up with me because if I’d figured it out before that, I would have had to kick your ass to the curb. Do me a favor and take your phony concern and hit the trail.”

“Don’t be such a bitch, Vi!” His perfect mouth twists in an ugly sneer. “I’m just trying to keep you from pissing away your company. You’ve managed pretty well for a woman but you need to let a man take over and take it to the next level. You’re just not strong enough to do this.”

My mouth drops open and I see Alexia talking quietly in the phone behind him.

“I don’t know what sexist rock you crawled out from under, buddy, but I am fully capable of taking care of my own damn company. So how about you just hit the fucking road. I’ve got nothing else to say to you.”

I turn away but he grabs my arm and growls, “I’m not about to be dismissed like one of your damn lackeys, baby.”

“Let me go,” I hiss between my teeth.

“The lady asked you to let her go. I suggest you do it before me and these lovely gentlemen lose our patience and rip your god-damned head off.”

The bitten-off words make all of us startle. Even the security guards that came at Alexia’s call. Their eyes dart between the two men like they’re waiting for a fight.

They should know better. Jeremy draws himself up to his full height which isn’t even close to the bigger man’s height.

His dark blond hair is slicked back slightly and yet falls forward from a widow’s peak in the front of his hair. His pale gray eyes are like ice chips as he glares at Jeremy. I shiver when those eyes turn towards me. There’s a sudden spark in them that makes my body hum to life in a way that I haven’t felt for a long time.

Jeremy is one of only a handful of men that I’ve spent time with and he wasn’t anything to write home about sexually. Neither were the other men.

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